Exploring Writing - Gary Robert Muschla 2011

How to Use This Book

Practice Makes Perfect: Exploring Writing is divided into four parts that concentrate on writing skills, from developing ideas to proofreading. The book includes exercises, worksheets, and an answer key.

Part 1

“Finding and Developing Ideas for Writing” begins with the understanding that solid ideas are the foundation of good writing. Ideas are all around, and you need to learn how to identify and develop ideas for writing. This section includes information on idea development, six exercises, and one hundred reproducible worksheets designed to help you develop material for writing. The worksheets are broken down into seven sections: “Personally Speaking,” “Among Friends,” “School Days,” “Near and Far,” “Leisure Time,” “Recreation,” and “Weird, Strange, and Unbelievable.” Each worksheet offers a topic and guidelines you can use to explore and develop the topic.

Part 2

“Writing the Draft” focuses on skills that will help you write clearly. Along with information on the characteristics of good writing, eleven exercises and twenty worksheets address topics such as using proper sentence structure, combining and varying sentences, constructing paragraphs, using active constructions and strong verbs, and choosing a point of view.

Part 3

“Revision” focuses on skills necessary for revision. Two exercises, some “Guidelines for Revision,” and twenty-five worksheets are included. Worksheets, which include both fiction and nonfiction, show you the types of weak composition that can slip into your writing. You are required to revise the weaknesses on the worksheets.

Part 4

“Proofreading” examines the skills necessary for proofreading. Three exercises, some “Guidelines for Proofreading,” and twenty-five worksheets are included in this section. The worksheets, both fiction and nonfiction, have errors in mechanics. As you find and correct the errors on the worksheets, you will gain skills for proofreading your own work.

Answer Key includes solutions for the worksheets. In cases where answers vary (for example, revision), possible answers are provided.

The worksheets and exercises offer more than 190 separate activities. They provide a rich variety of writing experiences to help you understand the writing process.